Caveats
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- CheckUser is a last resort for difficult cases, due to the effort involved, difficulty of interpretation of results and privacy issues raised. Use other methods first.
- Obvious sockpuppets may be treated as such without using CheckUser.
- DO NOT list non-disruptive "throwaway" accounts that only have a few edits.
- Data is kept for 90 days so we cannot compare against accounts that have not edited earlier.
- Block evasion: may be listed where the problem is ongoing.
- Routine 3RR violations: do not list unless there is:
- (a) an ongoing problem,
- (b) reasonable doubt as to whether sockpuppets are being used, and
- (c) disruption of editing that cannot be otherwise addressed.
- Vandalism: only for ongoing serious vandalism.
- Vote fraud: only if:
- (a) there is reasonable doubt about the validity of votes,
- (b) the vote or discussion has closed, and
- (c) the possible sockpuppet votes affect the outcome of the vote.
- Provide a link to the closed vote or discussion.
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Procedure
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DO NOT post long discussions about the merits of the check. If a compact, reasonable request, with the necessary diffs, cannot be made, then post it on WN:ALERT.
- List the request at the foot of the requests section.
- Clearly indicate the usernames or IP addresses you suspect.
- Use the format: {{Checkuser|USERNAME TO BE CHECKED}}.
- Clearly lay out the evidence for sockpuppetry.
- Explain how your request fits the POLICY.
- Sign the request.
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Outcomes
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- Responses will be brief in order to comply with Wikimedia:Privacy policy; supporting data will not be provided.
- Results are not always clear due to the internal organization of some ISPs, and some users deliberately edit from unrelated IPs.
- The response to a request will be placed beneath the request. Old requests will be archived. Please check back here for responses.
- Possible outcomes: Confirmed, Inconclusive, Likely, Possible, Unlikely, or Unrelated.
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